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Astronomy Picture of the Day - Noctilucent Clouds over Sweden
NASA ^ | 27 Oct. 2026 | Credit & Copyright V. Höfer, D. Večerník & B. Večerníková

Posted on 10/27/2026 12:53:55 PM PDT by MtnClimber

Explanation: Sometimes it's night on the ground but day in the air. As the Earth rotates to eclipse the Sun, sunset rises up from the ground. Therefore, at sunset on the ground, sunlight still shines on clouds above. Under usual circumstances, a pretty sunset might be visible, but unusual noctilucent clouds float so high up they can be seen well after dark. Normally too dim to be seen, they may become visible just after sunset during the summer when illuminated by sunlight from below the horizon. Noctilucent clouds are the highest clouds and are known more technically as polar mesospheric clouds. Featured here as they appeared in early August, a network of blue noctilucent clouds was captured in the distant sky above a field of green grass near Linköping, Sweden, with trees in stark silhouette across the horizon. Much about noctilucent clouds has been discovered only in the past two decades, while how they form and evolve remains a topic of active research.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa; sweden
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1 posted on 10/27/2026 12:53:55 PM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 10/27/2026 12:54:16 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 31R1O; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; ...
Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

3 posted on 10/27/2026 12:55:06 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Glow-in-the-dark clouds.


4 posted on 10/27/2026 12:56:16 PM PDT by ComputerGuy
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To: MtnClimber

Pretty.


5 posted on 10/27/2026 1:32:24 PM PDT by telescope115 (Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
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To: MtnClimber

Looks like Nikola Tesla is having fun. 😎


6 posted on 10/27/2026 1:39:02 PM PDT by AFB-XYZ
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To: MtnClimber

bttt


7 posted on 10/27/2026 2:06:28 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is opinion or satire. Or both.)
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